Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to surgical instruments having a reusable handle and removable and replaceable components, such as a disposable or replaceable loading unit. The present disclosure also relates to an authentication system for the components and/or handle assembly for use in a surgical stapling system.
Description of Related Art
Powered surgical instruments for use in endoscopic procedures are known. Typically, such instruments include a reusable handle assembly, and a replaceable and generally disposable component sometimes referred to as single use loading unit or SULU. An adapter assembly connects the loading unit, which can include an end effector for interacting with tissue, to the handle assembly. In the case of a surgical stapler, the end effector can include a replaceable cartridge that is changed after each firing of the surgical stapler. To reduce costs and shorten procedure times, the handle assemblies are generally configured for use with a variety of loading units and/or assemblies of various configurations for use on tissue having different properties, e.g., thickness and density. For example, the different loading units may have staples of different sizes and/or the staples may be arranged in different configurations. To ensure the handle assembly is programmed to operate with the attached loading unit, some loading units are provided with an integrated circuit, also known as a chip, that communicates with the handle assembly to identify the configuration of the loading unit. This arrangement enables the configuration of the loading unit to be automatically conveyed to the handle assembly upon attachment of the loading unit to the adapter assembly, thereby eliminating user error or incompatibility that may be experienced when switching between loading units with different configurations.
Surgical staplers are commonly used for stapling tissue within a body cavity where the end effector is likely to come in contact with fluids, e.g., blood, bile, and/or irrigation solutions. If the interconnections between the chip and the handle assembly are compromised, the chip could malfunction or data communications between the loading unit and the handle assembly could be disrupted, rendering the surgical stapler unstable or inoperable.
A stapling instrument configured to increase the reliability of communications between the disposable loading unit and the handle assembly would be a welcome advance. Provision of an authentication system for components in a surgical system is also desirable. Systems for enabling a variety of components to be used with surgical handle assemblies is another desirable aspect.